Cooling system for a motor vehicle or for a stationary internal combustion engine

ABSTRACT

A cooling system for a motor vehicle or for an internal combustion engine includes: at least one heat exchanger, having an inlet and an outlet for a medium to be cooled and an inlet and an outlet for coolant air; at least one fan connected upstream of the heat exchanger; and a connection channel, which is arranged between the fan and heat exchanger, for conveying coolant air to the heat exchanger. A branch line is connected to the connection line or between the individual heat exchangers and removes a partial flow of the coolant air therefrom. The combustion air supplied to the engine is filtered. A Venturi nozzle is connected in the branch line and a suction line is connected to a constriction of the Venturi nozzle and suctions out the filtered particles of the air filter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a cooling system for a motor vehicle, for example, a road vehicle or a rail vehicle. In the present case, it relates to a tractor having a diesel engine. The present invention also relates to stationary internal combustion engines.

2. Description of the Related Art

DE 43 05 237 A1 describes a cooling system for a water-cooled internal combustion engine having a water-air heat exchanger for cooling the coolant. A compressing fan is connected upstream of the heat exchanger. Further cooling systems are known from Patent Application Nos. DE 102 02 533 A1, DE 41 09 406 C1, and EP 1 541 855 B1.

Internal combustion engines and further assemblies of the drivetrain must be cooled. Air cooling or liquid cooling (water) come into consideration here. The cooling apparatus comprises one or more heat exchangers. An exchange of thermal energy occurs in the heat exchanger. The thermal energy contained in the coolant water is discharged to coolant air. The air can be supplied to the heat exchanger by way of a compressing or suctioning fan. One or the other principle comes into consideration, depending on the structural conditions.

Combustion air is supplied to the engine. The combustion air must be free of contaminants. Therefore, it is filtered by an air filter before it is supplied to the engine. The filtered particles of all types accumulate in the air filter. These particles must be removed continuously or from time to time, to ensure the function of the air filter. This removal of dirt particles is generally performed by suctioning them out. A partial vacuum is required for this purpose, which generates a suction flow.

In some cases, however, no partial vacuum is present, for example, for reasons of the design construction of the engine. Therefore, a suction pressure must be generated separately for cleaning the air filter, for example, by means of a suction pump. This is complex, occupies structural space, and increases the investment costs.

What is need in the art is a combination of a cooling system with an air filter in such a manner that construction effort and construction space and also the investment costs are kept within narrow limits.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides, contrary to all rules, a compressing radiator fan is provided. A partial flow is branched off therefrom. The partial flow is guided through a Venturi nozzle. A suction line, which provides the partial vacuum necessary for cleaning the air filter, is connected to the constriction of the Venturi nozzle. A separate suction pump is therefore avoided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of a cooling system having a single heat exchanger; and

FIG. 2 shows a cooling system similar to that according to FIG. 1, but with two heat exchangers connected in series.

Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a heat exchanger 1, also called a radiator section. Heat exchanger 1 has an inlet and an outlet for a medium to be cooled, and also an inlet and an outlet for coolant air. The medium is in general a liquid, for example, water. The medium to be cooled is charged with thermal energy, transferred from the internal combustion engine. The coolant medium is generally air. It absorbs thermal energy from the medium to be cooled. The heated air is discharged into the surroundings.

A fan 2 generates the discharged coolant air flow, which is pressurized. A suction nozzle 2.1 is connected upstream of fan 2, and connection channel 3 is connected downstream. Connection channel 3 therefore produces a conductive connection between fan 2 and heat exchanger 1. The coolant air flow generated by fan 2 therefore reaches heat exchanger 1 via connection line 3. The connection line 3 widens in the present case. However, it can also have an arbitrary cross section, for example, a uniform cross section.

Instead of a single heat exchanger 1, a plurality of heat exchangers can also be provided, from which a plurality of fans 2 are connected upstream. It is also conceivable to connect one single fan 2 downstream from a plurality of heat exchangers.

A partial flow is branched off from the air flow flowing in the connection line 3. A branch line 4 is provided for this purpose. A Venturi nozzle 5 is connected downstream of branch line 4. It includes a constriction (throttle) 5.1 and a Venturi expansion 5.2.

A suction line 6 is connected at the constriction 5.1. Air filter 7 is provided at the inlet of the suction line. Combustion air is supplied to the air filter by supply line 8. The air passes through air filter 7 and reaches engine 9 in the purified state. The particles held back by the air filter are suctioned out. They reach the outside through suction line 6, through constriction 5.1, and through Venturi expansion 5.2. Different structures come into consideration as air filters. Thus, there are air filters having a filter screen. A special form is an air filter without filter medium; for example, it can operate according to the principle of centrifugal force.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a cooling system having two heat exchangers, specifically a first heat exchanger 1 and a second heat exchanger 10.

The system according to FIG. 2 differs from that according to FIG. 1 also in that the branch line intended for the Venturi nozzle is tapped between the two heat exchangers 1 and 10. The branch line 4 is therefore connected to the space between the two heat exchangers 1 and 10. A shutoff element (not shown here) can be assigned to branch line 4. The suction power of Venturi nozzle 5 may thus be set.

While this invention has been described with respect to at least one embodiment, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1 heat exchanger -   2 fan -   2.1 suction nozzle -   3 connection line -   4 branch line -   5 Venturi nozzle -   5.1 constriction -   5.2 Venturi expansion -   6 suction line -   7 air filter -   8 air supply line -   9 engine -   10 heat exchanger 

What is claimed is:
 1. A cooling system for a motor vehicle or an internal combustion engine, the cooling system comprising: at least one heat exchanger having an inlet and an outlet for a medium to be cooled and and inlet and an outlet for a stream of coolant air; at least one fan upstream of said at least one heat exchanger; a connection channel for conveying pressurized coolant air to said at least one heat exchanger, said connection channel being arranged between said fan and said at least one heat exchanger; a branch line taking a partial flow of said coolant air from and connected to said connection channel or between individual said heat exchangers if said at least one heat exchanger is a plurality of heat exchangers; a plurality of filters connected upstream from the internal combustion engine or an engine of the motor vehicle, for filtration of a combustion air; a Venturi nozzle connected to said branch line and having a constriction; and a suction line connected to a constriction of said Venturi nozzle, for suctioning out a plurality of filtered particles of said air filters.
 2. The cooling system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one heat exchanger is at least two heat exchangers connected in series and said branch line is arranged between said two adjacent of said at least two heat exchangers.
 3. The cooling system according to claim 2, further comprising a shutoff element assigned to one of said branch line and said suction line. 